http://www.financialpost.com/m/wp/news/blog.html?b=business.financialpost.com/news/mining/sherritt-international-corp-says-more-than-60-of-global-nickel-output-underwater-despite-recent-price-rally&pubdate=2016-07-27

It is quite considerate of the banks to continue

to extend these loans to companies operating at a loss . Enabling this on a sector - wide basis serves only to maintain the price suppression of the commodity in question, and to allow the companies to mine themselves a deeper debt pit.

Reminds me of the quote by Robert Frost:

"A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather, and ask for it back when it begins to rain"

...wait until the company is hopelessly in debt and then call in the loan and pick up the distressed asset for pennies on the dollar. Alternatively, just barely keep the cow alive so one can continue to suckle on its teat, whilst further entrenching it's debt servitude and serving to maintain that relationship ad infinitum .